1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to methods, control apparatuses and powertrain system controllers for real-time, self-learning control based on individual operating style.
2. Background Art
Fossil fuels are an unsustainable resource and our planet has only a finite number of deposits. We have already used half of that reserve just in the past two centuries. At current rates of consumption, the world's remaining oil will be used up in forty years. Two-thirds of the oil used around the world currently goes to power transportation vehicles, of which half goes to passenger cars and light trucks. Being conscious of our fuel use will help to conserve resources for future generations. Transportation also involves the combustion of fossil fuels to produce energy translated into motion. Pollution is created from incomplete carbon reactions, unburned hydrocarbons, or other elements present in the fuel or air during combustion. Concerns about the impact of country's transportation habits on our environment are fully justified. Studies have shown that tailpipe emissions from cars and trucks account for almost a third of the air pollution in the United States.
Increasing demand for improving fuel economy and reducing emissions without sacrificing performance has induced significant research on and investment in advanced internal combustion engine technologies. These technologies, such as fuel injection systems, variable geometry turbocharging, variable valve actuation, and exhaust gas recirculation, have introduced a number of new engine variables that can be controlled to optimize engine operation. In particular, the determination of the optimal values of these variables, referred to as engine calibration, have been shown to be critical for achieving high engine performance and fuel economy while meeting emission standards. Consequently, engine calibration is defined as a procedure that optimizes one or more engine performance criteria, e.g., fuel economy, emissions, or engine performance with respect to the engine controllable variables.
State-of-the-art calibration methods generate a static tabular relationship between the optimal values of the controllable variables and steady state engine operating points or particular driving conditions and testing (e.g., the vehicle's speed profiles for highway and city driving). This relationship is incorporated into the electronic control unit (ECU) of the engine to control engine operation, so that optimal values of the specified criteria are maintained. While the engine is running, values in the tabular relationships are interpolated to provide the values of the controllable variables for each engine operating point. These calibration methods, however, seldom guarantee optimal engine operation for common driving habits (e.g., stop and go driving, speeding, rapid acceleration and rapid braking). Each individual driving style is different and rarely meets those driving conditions of testing for which the engine has been calibrated to operate optimally. For years, consumers have complained that their new cars simply can't achieve the gas mileage estimates displayed on the window sticker or featured in advertisements.
The following U.S. patent documents are related to this invention: U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,539,299; 6,985,808; 6,895,930 and 2009/0069971.